I wish I had style. Having style would open so manyy doors of opportunity for me and, if I were to be blessed with such an attribute, then I would surely start a band like Scorie as their EP “Gallodrome” – all five songs of it – is so infused with style that it could only be French in origin.
Scorie aren’t just potential Gallic style icons as their post punk meets existentialism approach to making music, whilst often reverential and knowingly emblematic, is more than just a fashion statement. The lyrics – all in English for the xenophobes amongst you – show a certain playfulness that avoids poetry to take instead a more urban approach with “Property”, in particular combining pointed social commentary with dancefloor appeal. “Room Full of Gangsters”, as if to provide a deliberate counterpoint to this band’s potential commercial intent, takes the aforementioned existential approach to transport the listener on a sonic journey to somewhere beyond the multiplex and right into the urban jungle. This is style mixed with arthouse appeal to thus provide the added value that makes Scorie into something more than mere pretenders to the throne of anguished European bands with a fondness for musical angularity and lyrical sharpness.
Five songs doesn’t give a band long to make an impact but Scorie have their knife out and they don’t waste their time on doing anything other than their core mission. “Gallodrome” exudes style but still sounds like it means something and that is no bad thing in these days of muse free mediocrity.
Available from Bandcamp.